The Assassin's Creed video game series continues to gain popularity with the recent release of the series' latest addition: Assassin's Creed III. And while gamers may be busy playing the new gamer, fans and collectors are no doubt also playing with the new Assassin's Creed figure from fan-favorite collectibles company NECA.

The new 7" figure, based on the series main protagonist Ezio from the previous game Assassin's Creed: Revelations recently hit retail stores and should impress fans with a new body featuring new articulation, a gorgeous sculpt featuring minute detail, and a solid paint application.

PACKAGING

Ezio Auditore: The Mentor comes packaged in the standard clamshell packaging found surrounding all of NECA's Player Select figures. The paper insert includes a number of images of the figure posed on the side of the package as well as a list of the features and accessories. The back of the packaging includes a detailed image - similar to the DaVinci's Vitruvian Man drawing - highlighting the generous articulation included with the figure. The back of the package also includes character information about Ezio as well as information on the NECA Ezio: Onyx Assassin figure.

SCULPTING

Sculpted by Neobauhaus with fabrication by Brad Haskins and Thomas Gwyn and prototyping by Adam Smith, the figure is gorgeously brought to life in 7" action figure form. The figure accurately captures the look of Ezio: The Mentor from the game; deep set eyes on a stoic face with a full beard that provides the character age and experience. Like previous Ezio figures, this one features sculpted flexible soft rubber pieces made to look like the character's various cloaks, shoulder pads, belts, gauntlets, armor, capes and hood When layered on top of the hard plastic poseable body underneath, they make an impressive figure.

The individual belt, straps and armor pieces feature detailed sculpting to include scrolling and filigree. The left should armor - made to look as if it's fur - accurately captures the on-screen look and the leather-like boots also accurately capture the character's look from the game. Overall, the sculpting is very well done, with even minute details present.

ARTICULATION

While it's the previously mentioned soft rubber pieces which give the sculpt impressive depth, it's the the solidly-constructed articulated body underneath which allows the Ezio figure to move and be posed in a variety of game-accurate positions. The 7" body provide an impressive amount of articulation, including ball-joint shoulders and hips, an ab-crunch joint, poseable chest joints, bicep/elbow twist/bend joints, twist waist, double-bend joint knees, twist/bend ankles and wrists not to mention the twist/ball neck.

In all, Ezio: The Mentor features a total of 38 points of articulation which provides collectors the opportunity to move this Ezio in almost every way imaginable. And thanks to the flexible construction of the cloak, belts, armor pieces and hood, articulation is rarely limited.

PAINT APPLICATION

Featuring detailed paint applications by Jon Wardell, Geoffrey Trapp and Karin Simeone, the figure's detailed sculpt is complimented by these artists' work. Primarily featuring screen-accurate dark blues and black colors, the figure also features belts, boots, straps and armor pieces painted brown to replicate their in-game leather look. Maybe most impressive, the scrolling and filigree across the cloak, armor, belts and straps boldly shines in silver to highlight the details. Finally one of the most eye-catching parts of the figure is the red scarf/belt which boldly stands out from the figure's dark clothing. Lastly, Ezio's face and beard accurately capture the character's deep complexion and dark black beard with gray highlights. Overall, the figure's paint applications impress with only a few bleeds on a figure that features a lot of minute detailing and paints.

ACCESSORIES

Ezio wouldn't be the assassin he is without his unique tools of the trade and of course Ezio: The Mentor includes a number of game-accurate weapons which will please collectors looking to display this figure in a variety of ways. First, the figure of course features the hookblade and hidden blade in his right and left gauntlets (respectively). The figure also includes a Macedonian dagger which fits into the sheath on the figure's belt, a Yataghan sword and the character's useful ranged weapon, the crossbow.

Overall, these five weapons make up the main weapons used in the game and each lends a unique look to the character. This provides the figure with plenty of variety in the way it's posed and no doubt fans will appreciate the opportunity to pose the figure with multiple accessories - or only the hookblade and hidden blade - when displayed as a part of their collection.

COST & OVERALL IMPRESSION

With a retail price of around $16.00, fans of the Assassin's Creed game series will consider this a solid buy. While some gamers found Assassin's Creed: Revelations disappointing compared to Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, the character design of Ezio: The Mentor is still just as impressive. And considering the new articulation which provides for an incredible amount of poseability, fans of cool action figures featuring both impressive sculpting and articulation may find Ezio: The Mentor a quick favorite figure to play with and pose.